Well, just barely. They still leave runners stranded with less than two outs. That is sad to see and I wonder if this is going to be a common theme throughout the year.

Nick Markakis rip a nice shot for a triple and it scored both Brian Roberts and Melvin Mora. Brian Roberts is showing all scouts why he maybe one of the most under rated leadoff men in the game. He drew a tough walk and stole two bases off Dodgers backup catcher Lucus May. It was more related to the great jump off IMO a slow movement to the plate by Eric Stults. I would not give too much credit to the Orioles run as this is still a pup pitcher that most likely will be in AAA this season.

Alot of the games are late run producing games with slow starts. The Orioles could be simply slow starters or they are roughing up the relief pitching. Lets see the last two weeks of this season when the rosters are reduced. It will give a better idea of things to come in 2008.

You know from my days in early adolescent I remember the sadness at 4 years old when the Pirates came back from a 3-1 lead in a best of seven. Four years later, the Orioles swept the Phillies after they took game 1. I thought as a child this team would be on top for a long time. As grew older we had a bit of "what is going on"...."and who are these guys". While at PSU, I thought the Orioles turned the corner and a nice little streak in the mid to late '90's brought alot to this town. Went to games 2030 and 2031 and it had to be one of the greatest baseball moment I have ever been too before, even counting the 1983 world series as a youngster. By this decade, things started to go South. The Orioles were seeing players go left and right. Players like Jerry Hariston Jr., Brian Roberts, Jay Gibbons, Rocky Coppinger were suppose to bring in a "new era". The Orioles were going to be good again soon we all heard day in and day out. 3rd place, 4th place, 3rd place, 4th place, 4th place, 3rd place, etc.... Revolving door of GM Frank Wren, Syd Thrift, the two headed monster, now one left without a real role. We had an owner that had his heart in the right place and wants a team to win badly for this town, but he sticks his nose too deep and tries to run it like a buisness. Still, you continue to preach "the Oriole way" to everyone. Those days in my opionion are long gone, just like my adolescence. We cannot get neither back, long gone is time not forgotten. The ship of the proud franchaise has sailed and this current state needs to make its own claim, its own right of passage. They need to find that "team" again. Not the trolling bunch of me players that talk openly about being traded, not hitting in a certain spot, or having to come out of a ballgame early because your tired. This offseason started to look as if the "new way" was coming. This organization started something and needs to finish it. Let get not to the "oriole way", but to the "winning way" that I was accustomed to as a child.